North Carolina House introduces bills HB38–HB58, approves Feb. 4 journal and adjourns to Feb. 6

The North Carolina House of Representatives introduced 21 bills (House Bills 38–58), approved the journal for Feb. 4 and adjourned to reconvene Thursday, Feb. 6 at 11 a.m., after the clerk read bill introductions and Representative Gable moved the adjournment, seconded by Representative Penny.

The bill introductions covered a range of topics. The clerk read House Bill 38 (Financial Privacy Act; referenced sponsors: Representatives Pirtle, Miller, Goodwin, Chester) and directed it to commerce and economic development and judiciary committees; House Bill 39 (disabled veteran motor vehicle tax exclusion) was referred to finance; and several technical and policy bills followed, including items described in the introductions as general statutes technical corrections, boundary adjustments, sentencing changes, designation of a state balloon rally, electronic signature provisions, occupational licensure provisions, disaster recovery legislation, changes to unemployment insurance benefits and tax credits, the Filial Debt Fairness Act, options for law enforcement special separation allowances, and bills addressing school calendar flexibility and veterans museum adoption. Each bill reading included the committee referrals listed by the clerk at the time of introduction.

Representative Gable moved to approve the journal for Feb. 4 “as written”; the presiding officer conducted a voice vote and the ayes were recorded, approving the journal. Later, Representative Gable moved — and Representative Penny seconded — that the House adjourn to reconvene Thursday, Feb. 6 at 11:00 a.m., “subject to the standard stipulation set forth in Rule 15.1.” The presiding officer called the voice vote, the ayes prevailed, and the House stood adjourned.

None of the introduced bills received substantive debate or final action during the reading; each was referred to the committees named during the clerk’s introductions for further consideration and potential future action.

The clerk’s reading in this session serves as the formal introduction and referral step; next steps for the bills include committee hearings, reports and any floor action the committees schedule.